Chapter 9, In Which the Orphan Makes his Will; Chapter 10, A Successor; Chapter 11, Some Affairs of the Heart; and Chapter 12, More Birds of Prey Summary

John Rokesmith meets with a man named Mr. Sloppy in regards to little Johnny, the orphan the Boffins are going to adopt. Mr. Sloppy says Johnny does have some health problems. Rokesmith tells Henrietta Boffin, who immediately goes to see the sick boy. They take Johnny to a children's hospital, where Rokesmith is able to make out a will for him before he dies.

In Chapter 10, after Johnny's death, Rokesmith goes to great lengths to comfort Mrs. Boffin, as a son would do for his mother. Mrs. Boffin tells the others she would like to adopt another child, but...